I help run one of the UK’s largest sup clubs BaySUP. We wanted to host a race in 2013 that would really stand out from the rest.
Having take part in the Jamie Mitchell survivor format race earlier in the year at lost mills I knew this would be a brilliant format to run at home, and the first of its kind in the UK.
Sadly I couldn’t race as there was simply too much event organisation to do. Myself and club chairman nick watt took on most of the management, getting local council permissions, securing a venue, getting registration and event packs available online. The other BaySUP team helped pull together a fantastic selection of prizes for a raffle (free tickets for any participant), one of the highlights of the day!
Earlier in the year I had secured a substantial funding grant from sport England and purchased a rescue jet ski which had arrive just in the nick of time. Having completed the necessary safety courses I was chief safety officer 🙂
We were blessed with spectacular weather, millpond calm with a general offshore picking up during the day, sunshine and small groundswell.
We set the course early to get organised and gradually guys from all over the country arrived to test their metal against the best of the get best in an all out knock out survivor sprint.
The course was a technical 5 turn course, the last finishers getting knocked out and the remaining guys and girls with only a 2 minute rest from the first finisher had to be ready to go again right away. Gruelling!
Ollie Shilston took a convincing win in every heat, reminded me of Connor Baxter at lost mills who was unstoppable in this format.
The race was a huge success, the men and ladies that participated paddled their hearts out, much to the amusement of bathe growing crowd on the beach.
Dan Bailey was on hand with his go pro and drone and made this amazing video (See below) to give you a taste of the action. We’ll be back hosting the race again in 2014 sad part of the UK SUP Clubs national series.